Pets may get domestic violence protection in N.H.

CONCORD (AP) — Household pets could be protected in court orders protecting victims of domestic violence under a bill before the New Hampshire House.

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Posted Mar. 18, 2014 at 2:00 AM

Posted Mar. 18, 2014 at 2:00 AM

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CONCORD (AP) — Household pets could be protected in court orders protecting victims of domestic violence under a bill before the New Hampshire House.

The House is scheduled to vote this week on a bill aimed at protecting pets from harm in cases involving stalking and domestic violence. The bill would allow the court to grant custody of the pet to the victim and issue an order barring the abuser from harming or disposing of the animal.

Supporters argue abusers sometimes take their anger out on a pet or attempt to intimidate victims by targeting a pet.

Opponents argue the bill isn't needed because cruelty to animals already is a crime.

N.H. bill would enhance penalties for causing fetus death

CONCORD (AP) — New Hampshire's House is voting on whether judges can hand out stiffer sentences when a fetus dies during the commission of certain crimes.

A lawmaker filed the bill after his daughter lost her baby as the result of a traffic accident. The issue also drew attention after a former Fortune 500 executive told police he was trying to kill himself when the pickup truck he was driving crossed the median on Interstate 89 in December into the path of another car. A young couple was killed. The woman was eight months pregnant.

The majority of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee is recommending stricter penalties if the mother is pregnant when killed in a homicide. The minority argues the fetus' death should be a crime if the mother lives.

N.H. House panel considers Medicaid expansion bill

CONCORD (AP) — A House committee is expected to decide Tuesday whether to recommend passing a bill to use federal Medicaid money to pay for private health insurance for an estimated 50,000 poor adults.

The House Finance Committee will consider a Senate bill passed with bipartisan support that essentially creates a two-and-a-half-year pilot program providing coverage to eligible adults if the federal government approves using federal funds to pay for private insurance.

Supporters say the bill would improve the health of currently uninsured residents by providing access to affordable preventive and primary care. They say that would reduce the amount of uncompensated care provided by hospitals, which could help drive down premium costs and help struggling businesses.

Opponents argue the state's financial liability should be capped to protect taxpayers.

New Hampshire is one of six states that have not decided whether to expand Medicaid under the federal health care overhaul law.

The Senate bill would use 100 percent federal funding to expand the health care coverage. Anyone under 65 who earns up to 138 percent of federal poverty guidelines — about $15,856 a year for a single adult — could qualify.

The state estimates 12,000 adults could begin receiving coverage in as little as a month under an existing program to subsidize employer-based coverage while 38,000 others would receive coverage through the state's Medicaid managed care program starting this summer. The adults on managed care would be moved onto private insurance in 2016 if a federal waiver is approved by March 31, 2015. If the waiver is denied, their coverage would be phased out over three months.

Under the plan, the expansion would end if federal funding drops below 100 percent and would end regardless at the end of 2016 if the Legislature doesn't reauthorize it.

Child-drug images part of N.H. anti-drug campaign

CONCORD (AP) — Posters and TV spots showing children with prescription drugs, alcohol and marijuana are part of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Hampshire youth prevention campaign this year.

The images and statistics accompanying them are targeting parents and caregivers of children ages 9 to 17 in New Hampshire, trying to have them learn more about the growing problem of youth drug and alcohol abuse.

According to the statistics, one in every five high school students in the state has admitted to abusing prescription drugs. New Hampshire also ranked second in the nation for alcohol use among 12-to-20-year-olds and in the top 10 states for marijuana use among the same age group in the past month.